The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-10
A PuRITAN DISCOURSE.



The discovery in the Sears library OF
. sermon delivered by Robert Cushman
in 1921, at Plymouth, affords the en-.
tire text of the oldest of all the old
New England sermons now cxtant,
writes Searsport (Me.) correspondent
of The Portland Press. The pilgrim
fathers landed in the autumn of 1920.
This sermon was preached some time
in 1921 by Cushman. soon after his
arrival. 1t was in the darkest time
for the struggling colony, and among
the congregation who listened to the
sermon were the men who have been
made famous through their connec-
tons with the trying scenes of those
years-Capt Miles Standish, Gov.
William Bradford, Gov Edward Win
slow, Gov. Thomas Price, William
Brewster Isaac Allerton. Nathaniel
Morton. John Bradford John Winslow,
Thomas Cushman, Constant and Thorn
as Southworth. The sermon rs Ycry
long indeed and was intended TO in
struct the colonis!s in their duties to
each other by charging on 1.-THE sin
and danger Of self-loye." The text
was Frst Corinthians Y, p; "Let no
man seek his own, but every man
another's wealth. The first part OF
the discourse abounds in abundant
references TO the scriptures and gener-
al remarks upon the thought of the
text with numerous proddings at the
falings of the men OF the times. In
one case where the writings of Paul
are referred TO there Is this thrust:
'.In both epistles he Paul very often
nippeth them for their pride. self-love,
s.raitness, consciousness, and willetb
them to examine themselves TO seq
whether Christ were in them or not,
for many of them seemed, as in th.a
day. to soar aloft and go with full sail
to heaven, yet as men that go in boats
set their faces one way when yet Their
whole body goeth apace another, so
there are many which set such face
upon religion and have their mouths
full of great swelling words rs if they
would even blow open the doors of
heaven-despising humble minded peo-
pie like the Corinthians, they carry
affectedly their own glory with them
and seem to stand for the glory of
Cod
He thinks that Men blow the bel
lows hard when they have an iron of
their own heating, dig hard when their
own garden is planting; but their hands
wax feeble, hearts grow faint. and they
, become churlish when the profit goes
wholly to Others" In warning his
hearers against pride and conceited-
ness, the preacher illustrated by this ref
erence to the iniquities OF Virginians,
at is reported that there are many
men gone TO that other plantation,
which while they lived in England
seemed religious. but have lost even the
sap of grace and edge to all goodness,
and have become mere worldlings.
Among many causes self-love is not the
least"
Coming to the practical application
of his teachings. the old preacher speaks
these plain words to his pilgrim audi
dience: "It's n matter of commenda-
ton for man TO remove himself from
"a lhronged place into wilderness. 10
take so long and dangerous q journey to
carry the Q ospel and humanity among
british heather, but there may be many
shows ard CLOSES and yet n pad in the
straw; some men came out OF discon-
tent in regard to their estates in Eng
land, and aim at great matter here, at
fecting TO be gentlemen, landed men,
hoping for offices, ileshy liberty. Let
the show | what 1t will, the substance
is naught. and that bird of self-love
which was Matched ut home. II he is
not looked after. will eat out the life OF
grace and goodness. and though men
have escaped the dangers of the sea,
and the cruel mortality that swept away
so many loving fir ends, yet. unless we
purge out this self love. a worse mis-
chief awaits u.s."
Near the close of the sermon is this
strong plea for unseliishness: The
land Is untitled. the cities not builded.
the cattle not settled. encompassed with
idle people. the natives cannot in
'comely manner help themselves